Kansas City Chiefs’ All-Time Sack Leaders

Derrick Thomas

Neil Smith

The Kansas City Chiefs have been floundering for the most
part for a few decades, but they were a powerhouse in the early days of the
Super Bowl, losing the first Super Bowl ever to the Packers, and then winning one
a few years later against the Vikings.
The Chiefs began play as the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1960, and
became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963.
They then merged with the rest of the AFL into the NFL in 1970. And while the franchise hasn’t been known
for its defense, here is a short list of the Chiefs’ all-time leaders in sacks
to date:

Derrick Thomas (126.5)—Linebacker Derrick Thomas
played his entire career in Kansas City, from 1989 to 1999, and he ranks first
in Chiefs’ history with 126.5 sacks.
That also ranks Thomas twelfth in NFL history. Thomas’ best season was 1990, when he led the NFL with a career
high 20 sacks, and added 6 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 63
tackles. It was also one of two seasons
that Thomas was a first team All-Pro.
Sadly, Thomas passed away in a car accident in 2000 at the tender age of
33.

Neil Smith (85.5)—Defensive end Neil Smith played
most of his career in Kansas City, from 1988 to 1996, and he ranks second in
franchise history with 85.5 sacks.
Smith led the NFL in 1993 with a career high 15 sacks, but his best
overall season was arguably 1992. That
year, he had 14.5 sacks, and added an interception for a touchdown, 2 forced
fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and a career best 77 tackles.

Eric Hicks (44.5)—Defensive end Eric Hicks played
most of his career with the Chiefs, from 1998 to 2006, and he ranks third in
team history with 44.5 sacks. Hicks had
his best season in 2000, when he had a career high 14 sacks with one fumble
recovery and 37 tackles.

Jared Allen (43)—Defensive end Jared Allen is one of
the NFL’s most explosive and exciting players today as I write this in
2010. Allen plays for the Vikings, but
began his career in Kansas City and played there from 2004 to 2007. He ranks fourth in Chiefs’ history with 43
sacks, and had what was probably his best season so far in 2007. That year, Allen had a career high 15.5
sacks (led the NFL), and added 10 passes deflected, 3 forced fumbles, 55
tackles and 9 assists.

Art Still (42.5)—Defensive
end Art Still played for the Chiefs most of his career, from 1978 to 1987, and
he ranks fifth in franchise history with 42.5 sacks. He might have more considering that sacks did not become an
official statistic until 1982. Still’s
best season was arguably 1984, when he made the Pro Bowl with a career high
14.5 sacks, and added a fumble recovery.

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